Marchesa Luisa Casati by Man Ray (1922) Marchesa Luisa Casati was an eccentric patroness of the arts and socialite, born into an aristocratic Italian family in 1881. As a teenager, she inherited an immense fortune that she later used to fund her transformation into a living work of art. In her ruined Venetian palace (the ... Read more
The world of haute couture (high fashion) is clouded in mystery. People wonder what the true definition of haute couture is and whether it belongs too much to the past to still be relevant in this post-postmodern world. Without buying haute couture clothes, the prerequisite for which is being vastly rich, it seems impossible to ... Read more
After making a surprise appearance on Parisian catwalks last month, Chanel’s haute couture running shoes emerged as the most viral story from the Haute Couture Spring 2014 fashion week. Many a fashionista’s eyes rolled at the esteemed French house, as if to say that streetwear influences in haute couture are blasphemous and inelegant. How do ... Read more
Breaking news Cathy Horyn, one of the most respected fashion critics in the world, has retired from The New York Times. Fashion critics are such rare species in this air-and-ass-kissing (but also beautiful) industry that her resignation will leave an aching void in RSS feeds worldwide. Horyn's successor has yet to be appointed; I'm rooting ... Read more
Looking at the new haute couture collections for Spring 2013, presented in Paris this week, I've toned down my analytical voice in favour of letting my imagination flow with the most voluminous fashion fantasy. Still captivated by the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition, I now believe haute couture is more important than ever because many ... Read more